AustLit

'Ray and Viv realise love isn’t always what they expect it to be, but learning to deal with the road ahead can be worth the heartache.

'Thrown into circumstances beyond their imaginations, Ray Connelly and Christopher ‘Viv’ Vivvens must step beyond their personal lifestyles to survive the future. What started out as a small white lie about being boyfriends soon becomes more than they bargained for, especially when family and friends decide to interfere in their lives. However, when tragedy strikes, Ray and Viv must step up and become parents, too. Along the way, they welcome nine children of varying ages, but there is plenty of love to go around.

'Ray and Viv realise love isn’t always what they expect. Sometimes it’s downright hard. They also learn that dealing with life’s obstacles can be worth the heartache. In doing so, the couple discover how strong they are together.

'When everything is running smoothly, an ex comes along to ruin their happily ever after. They must fight their past demons to make their future even better. Together they are family in the greatest sense, but do Ray and Viv have what it takes to beat the odds this time?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'As someone wise once said—life is like an ice cream cone. When you think you have it licked, it drips all over you.

'When life seems to be running smoothly there has to be a bump, or three, in the road. Ray and Viv realize that while they grow closer in their relationship, their family is falling apart around them, and they can’t seem to do anything to stop the heartache from happening. The only thing they can do is pick up the pieces.

'Ray would love nothing better than to shake the hell out of the adults in the family and tell them all to wake up. The problem is that Ray has his own demons to face. From being swept away by flood waters to his daughter’s unraveling relationship, custody battles and launching a new business that helps abandoned teenagers, Ray loses himself for a while.

'Viv tries desperately to hold the family together. He’s so used to Ray being the strong one that at first he’s clueless how to fix what’s going wrong in their lives. Viv enlists the help of the family to get everyone back on track. Sometimes wisdom comes from where you least expect it, but mostly it comes from the ones who know and love you best.

'With so much going on in their family, will Viv and Ray keep their love alive? Or will their world come crashing down around them?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.